Vancouver

Raising the Bar with the Matte Black Collection of Bar Tools from Cocktail Kingdom

We’re a pretty satisfied bunch, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t covetous. Sometimes we see things out there that we just must have. Cool Things We Want is an archive of those earthly desires.

The New York-based company Cocktail Kingdom has been leading the barware game for close to a decade now, and their portfolio is always getting better. The best thing about the brand is the quality for the price, and the ease of ordering from their website. You can find the products at stores in Vancouver as well, but with a slight mark-up.

I’m currently loving the new Matte Black collection. CK has come out with gold, copper, gunmetal, and a few other finishes over the last few years, but the Matte Black is my favourite to date — something to finally match all those dimly lit cocktail bars!

Think Teardrop bar spoons ($32.99), julep strainers ($23.99), Leopold jiggers ($34.99) and even Koriko metal shaker tins ($22.99). This line in particular is my choice for home or cocktail bars, as they are durable, handle well over multiple uses, and are very well-priced. They’re also easy on the eyes. From the custom crown on the julep strainer (that doubles a place to hang it) to the 0.5, 1, and 1.5 oz measures on the inside of the jigger, the attention to detail on this gear is impressive. It also matches my black leather bartender apron from Search & Rescue denim, so there’s that too!

Bars and bartenders should care just as much about their barware as they do about their collection of artisanal bitters and local gins. If you wind up in a bar that uses a glass shot glass (the type of thing that gets dropped into Red Bull) or mixes your Manhattan in a pint glass, it might be best to order a bottle of beer. Seriously, take the plunge and spend a few bucks on quality barware; if you’re spending the money we do in BC on booze, then you need to mix it in a decent vessel! However, like any quality barware, don’t put this stuff through the dishwasher — hand wash and take care of it!